CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- When the No. 3-ranked
North Carolina women's lacrosse team hosted No. 17-ranked Florida
at Fetzer Field on Saturday, it didn't take the Tar Heels long to
take control of the game. UNC sprinted to a 3-0 lead, and after
just four and a half minutes, it appeared that the season-opening
game would be uninterestingly one-sided -- much like the Tar Heels'
18-5 triumph of the Gators last year.

But that soon proved to be far from the truth.

In a game that featured five lead changes and five ties, the Tar
Heels escaped with a 10-9 win thanks to Corey Donohoe's goal with
just six seconds remaining in overtime.

Florida surged to an 8-6 lead. North Carolina fought back to
forge an 8-8 tie. With six and a half minutes to go, the Gators
slowed down the fast-paced game. Trying to savor the last
possession and milk the clock, Florida stalled.

"Unfortunately the rules of our game allow you to stall, and
since 1994, I've been a huge advocate of a no-stall rule in our
game," North Carolina coach Jenny Levy said. "I think it's really
bad for our game for growth, but it's part of our game and everyone
does it."

With 14 seconds left in regulation, Florida finally attacked the
goal, but Kim Hillier's shot was wide right. The Gators maintained
possession and shot again. In the right place at the right time,
UNC goalie Lauren Maksym blocked Ashley Bruns' last-second attempt
and sent the teams to overtime.

Florida held the momentum for much of the game, beginning when
the Gators went on a 5-0 run early in the first half. Levy was
disappointed in some of the Tar Heels' defensive choices, and she
felt her offense wasn't taking full advantage of its
possessions.

Levy was impressed with Florida goalie Mikey Meagher's
performance, and admitted that the New York native's quickness
forced her team to adjust its shooting strategy.

"We kept hitting her low," Levy said. "I looked at my attackers
and I said, 'Look, she's made every save low. Are you going to
change your shot or not?' You've got to fake her and you've got to
move her. She's very good.'"

It took some time for UNC to get used to the persistence of the
Gator defense, but in the final minutes of overtime, it appeared
the Tar Heels had finally caught on. In the second three-minute
overtime period, UNC earned the draw control and proved that two
could play the stalling game.

North Carolina's Emily Garrity struck first in overtime, but
Florida's Brittany Dashiell answered. With two and a half minutes
left in overtime and the game tied at nine, the Tar Heels passed
the ball around, waiting for an opportunity to take their final
shot on goal.

And with just six seconds left, senior Corey Donohoe made her
move.

Donohoe reared back her stick and delivered, giving the Tar
Heels a perfectly timed go-ahead goal and ending the afternoon's
bitter stalemate once and for all.

Donohoe, the Tar Heels' leading scorer in last season's 17-3
campaign, had four goals against the Gators, tied for a game high
with Florida sophomore Kitty Cullen.

Friend said she was confident in her team's abilities and wasn't
worried, even when the Gators held a two-goal lead twice during the
game. The rookie said she stayed concentrated at the task at hand
and on performing well in her collegiate debut.

And that mentality certainly paid off for North Carolina.

"It's such an honor to be a Tar Heel," Friend said. "Being able
to play out on Fetzer for the first time was like a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."